Posted on 04/07/2018 7:15:58 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
In a New York Times op-ed published Friday, a liberal journalist and film critic complained the new film Chappaquiddick was a "character assassination" of its central character, Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy.
"How ‘Chappaquiddick’ Distorts a Tragedy" wrote Neal Gabler, who is working on a biography of Kennedy.
Gabler complained the film, released in theaters Friday, has been "heavily promoted by conservative media outlets, and reviewers across the political spectrum have praised what they deem its damning but factual approach. Damning it is; factual it is not."
There actually was no "cover-up" of Kennedy's car accident that led to the death of an aide, he claims, adding that "no one but the most lunatic conspiracy theorists see this as anything but a tragic accident in which nothing much was covered up."
Chappaquiddick tells the story of a car accident that occurred on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts in 1969. The accident was caused by Kennedy's negligence and resulted in the death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle. The screenwriters have said their efforts in making the film aren’t partisan and they aimed to tell the facts of the story.
Gabler doesn't actually point to any factual errors in the film (save for the fact that Joe Kennedy, confined to a wheelchair by a stroke, likely wouldn't be able to grunt one-word dialogue like he does in the film). Instead, his criticism is limited more to the depiction of Kennedy as a character.
"In this version, the Kennedy character leaves Kopechne to die as she gasps for air, and then, with the aid of his brothers’ old advisers, cooks up a scheme to salvage his presidential ambitions. A more callow, cunning, cowardly and self-interested yet moronic figure you couldn’t find," he wrote.
Gabler claimed Kennedy actually felt "deep remorse and responsibility," and eventually grew to be "an indispensable legislator whose achievements included the 18-year-old vote, the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Children’s Health Insurance Program."
"It is very possible that over time, through the osmosis of social media, the despicable Kennedy of this movie will eradicate the honorable if flawed real one," Gabler wrote.
Memo to NYSlimes: F off.
We tried to see this film last night but had to leave after an hour of the theatre trying and failing to get it to run without annoying stops and starts. Each of us received 2 free passes to see other movies and they handed out free refreshments too. Waste of time.
“Damning it is; factual it is not.”
And how on earth does this idiot know the facts?
He was not there.\
.
It’s only an assassination in the same sense that exposing a vampire to sunlight is an assassination.
Truth is problematic to a false legend
The writer and the NYT fact checker and editor responsible are now guilty of gross incompetence if not outright falsehood.
Kennedy was know to collect jokes about Mary Jo's death, a direct indication of his lack of remorse and responsibility.
Perhaps the promotion of progressive Marxist leftism is the reason the NYT writes such tripe. That's what I think.
For someone known as half of a ‘waitress sandwich’ not much character there.
I think Mary Jo was the one who was “assassinated”; Kennedy had very little “character” to worry about.
It’s more a character illumination.
Neil Gabler is already known for his uncontrollable rage when a conservative happens to be in the room.
He is also working on a Kennedy biography.
If the NYT runs his liberal cr@p, it must be proof that the movie is both factual & politically incorrect. In addition, the Kennedy clan’s power to intimidate is diminished beyond recovery, unless Joe Kennedy III walks up to the film director to kick him in the shins.
Gabler is writing a biography of Ted Kennedy.
Ted Kennedy had no character. There’s nothing to assassinate.
outright falsehood = leftist lie
You are too kind. I think Mary Jo told him she was pregnant with his baby and he murdered her.
She was cremated, unheard of for a good Catholic in that time.
He murdered her and had the evidence destroyed.
democrat.
“The real Kennedy was despicable long before the movie was made.”
Hell, he was despicable before the real Chappaquiddick.
Now that I did not know-————no wonder he has an agenda,it’s all about money.
Nothing is more liberal that the desire for money.
.
Google “Ted Kennedy Chris Dodd waitress sandwich La Brasserie”. More “character” for “The Lion.”
Not the film's fault; Teddy did that all by himself.
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